In 2015, Raymond Dokpesi served as the chairman of the organizing committee for the national conference of the People’s Democratic Party. Let’s read his full wikipedia profile, biography and net worth below.
Wikipedia Profile & Background
| Real Name: | Chief Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi |
| Date of Birth: | 25 October 1951 |
| Age: | 72 years old @ 2023 |
| State of Origin: | Edo State, Nigeria |
| Place of Birth: | Ibadan |
| Nationality: | Nigerian |
| Wife: | Tosin Dokpesi – Fani-Kayode and Precious Dokpesi |
| Children – Daughter: | Regina Dokpesi |
| Occupation: | Politician |
| Net Worth: | < $50 million |
| Political Party: | PDP |
| Education: |  University of Gdańsk |
| CEO: | DAAR Communication Plc – AIT |
Raymond Dokpesi Biography
An entrepreneur in the field of media in Nigeria, Chief Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi was born on October 25th, 1951 in the city of Ibadan. His parents are from the town of Agenebode in the state of Edo, and they are from a large family with six sisters and four brothers. As of the month of March in the year 2020, he is still being tried on charges of corruption. Dokpesi was identified as a COVID-19 survivor in May of 2020.
It was through his company, DAAR Communications, that he made his debut in the Nigerian mass media market. He also founded the Nigerian television network Africa Independent Television (AIT) In 2015, he served as the chairman of the organizing committee for the national conference of the People’s Democratic Party.
How old Is Raymond Dokpesi – Age
The former chairman of the organizing committee for the national conference of the People’s Democratic Party was born on the 25th day of October, 1951. The politician will be at the age of 72 years old on the 25th day of October, 2023.
Where Is Raymond Dokpesi From – State of Origin
Chief Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi is a Nigerian media entrepreneur and was born in the city of Ibadan. His parents are from the town of Agenebode in the state of Edo, and they are from a large family with six sisters and four brothers.
His Three Wifes
Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, revealed on Saturday the reason he had to engage in polygamy, calling it one of the biggest mistakes of his life. Dokpesi revealed this in a conversation with media in Abuja on Saturday as part of his 70th birthday celebrations, claiming that the reason he had to marry a second wife was owing to internal family difficulties.
“I am a Catholic, and I will tell you that one of the greatest blunders of my life has been polygamy,” he stated. However, it is not something that I wished or desired. It was a scenario that arose, and I had no choice but to accept it.
“A lot of people looked at it as if it was affluence that twisted my behaviour but the truth of the situation is that there were internal family challenges that led to the polygamy. I was married to a Polish woman, and I still wanted to be with her in my old age, but she left Nigeria because she was the only child of her parents, and she had to be with her parents, while I had to stay here, and there is no leave in marriage.
“And so, I shuttled down to Poland over 16 times urging her to come back to Nigeria and stay but as the only kid, she wanted to be beside them. My mother was quite concerned that I should have children of my own, children I wouldn’t have to fly to see. That entire situation contributed to the instability that eventually damaged my life.” [1]
Children
Raymond has grown up children, but only Regina Dokpesi is known among them. Regina is an On Air Personality at DAAR Communications Plc, in her fathers founded new media organization in Nigeria.
Education Background
Chief Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi attended Loyola College Ibadan. After that, he attended Immaculate Conception College (ICC) in Benin City, where he founded a dance/drama troupe. He studied marine engineering at the University of Benin Edo State and the University of Gdansk, Poland. Alhaji Bamanga Tukur supported his education through college.
Career
In the early 1990s, the National Broadcasting Commission directive dominated Nigerian media, according to Muyiwa Oyinlola (2004). Government-owned broadcasting companies provided information. Then-President Ibrahim Babangida approved private broadcasting in Nigeria. Africa Independent Television, Nigeria’s first private TV network, followed by (AIT).
Dokpesi founded Africa’s first satellite TV channel, AIT. Dokpesi is Nigeria’s media expert. Some call him Nigeria’s Ted Turner. Dokpesi also founded Nigeria’s first privately owned radio station. Raymond believes AIT set the pattern for media compensation structure, which Nigerian Television Authority copied, according to Kolapo (2006).
Dr. Raymond Dokpesi began his career as the personal assistant to Alhaji Bamaga Tukur, one of the Nigerian Ports Authority’s general managers. Dokpesi also worked for Alhaji Umaru Dikko and General Garba Wushishi at the Federal Ministry of Transport. Raymond Dokpesi’s involvement with the Tukurs and the late Abiola led in the formation of African Ocean Lines (AOL).
Dokpesi (2006) summarizes African Ocean Lines; one of Dr. Raymond Dokpesi’s initial ventures was Africa’s first indigenous shipping line. It was founded in the 1980s. Although the company did not endure long, it made significant contributions to the Nigerian shipping industry by helping to draft the Nigerian Shipping Act Decree 1986, which established the 40:20:20 freight sharing formula for developed and developing countries. [2]
Founder – Owner of DAAR Communication Plc
But as High Chief, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi worked in his field of study, and he never forgot his first love, entertainment and showbiz. This can be traced back to his early days in high school, when he was the first person to join the dance-drama group Ozolua Playhouse.
He decided to make his dream come true when he had the idea to start a radio station during the rule of Ibarahim Babaginda, when broadcasting in Nigeria was no longer regulated and the time was right. In 1994, he started the first private FM radio station in Nigeria called RayPower.
He started Africa Independent Television two years later. So, according to Oyinlola (2005), he became the leader in Nigerian media, setting the pace for places like Galaxy TV, Silverbird TV, MBI television, Rhythm FM, and many others.
A lot of people know about Africa Independent Television. Africa Independent Television started sending its signals to the United States on September 20, 2003. At the moment, AIT can be seen in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and all of Europe via the Hotbird satellite. It can also be seen in some African countries.
Political Career
Dokpesi is also involved in the political process. One of his earliest political duties was to serve as the political campaign manager for Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, which resulted in Tukur being elected to the position of Governor of the then-named Gongola State.
In addition, he served in the same capacity throughout the presidential campaigns of Alharji Adamu Ciroma and Alharji Bamanga Tukur in 1993. Likewise during Peter Odili’s presidential campaign.
Dokpesi was one of the leaders of the South-South People Assembly (SSPA), an organization that works to advance the interests of people who live in Nigeria’s south-south region. In 2017, Dokpesi ran for the job of PDP National Chairmanship but ultimately came in second place, behind Uche Secondus.
Awards And Nominations
Chief Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi has won awards on behalf of DAAR Communications Plc and been given titles from his hometown for all he has done for Nigeria. His hometown gave him two chieftainship titles, both of which are only given to sons who have done well. He is the Oghieumua and Ezomo of Weppa Wanno, Edo State, and the Araba of Osoroland, Okpe.
According to Ojewale (2004), during the Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Leadership Award ceremony in Accra and the Foundation for Excellence in Business Practice in Geneva, Switzerland, Dokpesi was praised for Daar Communications’ rise to the top in Africa and the contributions of Radio and Television stations that put Nigeria on the map of the world.
Health
Dokpesi and members of his family, all of whom had been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the year 2020, were admitted to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital as a result of their illness.
Chief Raymond Dokpesi and two of his grandchildren were released from the hospital on May 14, 2020, after it was determined that none of them possessed any traces of COVID-19. However, at the time of this discharge, Dokpesi’s son Raymond Jr. as well as other members of the family were still receiving therapy.
Net Worth
With an estimated net worth of $50 million, Raymond Dokpesi is one of the most powerful businessmen in Nigeria. He is also one of the richest.
Controversies
Dokpesi was arrested on October 4, 2010, for what was thought to be his part in a car bombing in Abuja. After being held for nine hours, he was freed, and then he sued the country’s secret police for wrongful imprisonment.
On November 11, 2015, Chief Raymond Dokpesi apologized on behalf of the PDP party for the way the country of Nigeria was run when the PDP was in power.
“Don’t get the wrong idea, the PDP knows that mistakes were made along the way. We admit that in the past we have made mistakes and not lived up to what Nigerians expected of us. We want to say sorry. But the past is just the past.
We want all party members, supporters, and people who like the party to work with us as we move forward.” He also said that the PDP made a mistake by running Jonathan Goodluck for president in the March 2015 elections.
Money-Laundering and Corruption
Dokpesi and his company, Daar Holding and Investment Limited, were charged in a USD2.1bn money laundering scam on December 9, 2015 in the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The FG said that the money was budgeted to buy weapons for the Nigerian military to fight against Boko Haram militants. However, it was confirmed that the money was sent to Dokpesi’s Daar Holding and Investment Limited by Sambo Dasuki, who was the National Security Advisor at the time, to help President Goodluck Jonathan win the Nigerian presidential election in 2015.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed court charges with the number “FHC/ABJ/CR/380/2015.” These charges said that they broke the Money Laundering Act, the EFCC Act, and the Public Procurement Act. Justice Gabriel Kolawole, who was in charge, gave Chief Raymond Dokpesi bail and put off the trial until February 17, 2016.
On March 22, 2019, he was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja, where he arrived after getting medical care in Dubai. He was sent back to jail, but he was soon let out.
Even though his trial is still going on, he was given permission to leave Nigeria for medical reasons in November 2019. The Federal Appeal Court of Nigeria cleared Raymond Dokpesi of all charges of money laundering on April 1, 2021.
Raymond Dokpesi Allegedly Arrested in London by UK Police
An individual who was once Chairman of DAAR Communications was taken into custody at Heathrow Airport in London, according to a source who has corroborated this new development. As at the time this article was published, the reasons for the arrest of the media mogul were unknown.
Dokpesi was hauled before a court in Nigeria in 2015 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which accused him and his company of illegally receiving funds considered to be proceeds of crimes from a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki. This accusation came from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
After the prosecution rested its case in November 2018 after questioning 14 witnesses, he entered a plea of not guilty to the charges and then went on to file a no-case submission in response to the allegations. The no-case submission was, however, shot down by the trial judge, Justice John Tsoho, who issued an order compelling Dokpesi and his firm to present their defense.
The defendants were dissatisfied with the outcome of the trial, so they appealed the judgment to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the prosecution had failed to build a prima facie case against them, and therefore the verdict should be overturned and he should be released from the charges.
Dokpesi was cleared of the N2.1 billion in fraudulent transactions allegations filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal. [3]
ReferencesAll our findings and informations regarding this article, were sourced from the above references. If you find any false information on this article, do not hesitate to inform us in the comment section below.